Book Review: Little Women

Little Women
Louisa May Alcott
Genre: Fiction, Classic Literature
I listened to the audiobook, purchased from Audible and read by Kate Reading

Summary from audible.com:

Little Women is one of the best loved books of all time. Lovely Meg, talented Jo, frail Beth, spoiled Amy: these are hard lessons of poverty and of growing up in New England during the Civil War. Through their dreams, plays, pranks, letters, illnesses, and courtships, women of all ages have become a part of this remarkable family and have felt the deep sadness when Meg leaves the circle of sisters to be married at the end of Part I. Part II, chronicles Meg's joys and mishaps as a young wife and mother, Jo's struggle to become a writer, Beth's tragedy, and Amy's artistic pursuits and unexpected romance. Based on Louise May Alcott's childhood, this lively portrait of 19th-century family life possesses a lasting vitality that has endeared it to generations of readers and listeners.

This is the first time I've listened to an audiobook of this classic title, and it kind of wasn't my favorite. I've read this book so many times, and Jo just sounds different in my head, I guess. I don't know if it was the reader (who was fine, by the way), or the familiarity with the story, but this version moved slowly for me, in spite of it being a longtime favorite book.

So what of this beloved story? It's current again, with a fresh tv adaptation earlier this year (which I really liked), a new movie coming soon (which looks promising and sweet) and some accompanying debate on blogs and in the media about whether or not it's a good story for women and girls or a bad one. I think I will leave that in the eye of the beholder. For me and my values, it's a good story for women. I like how this family moves in their time and environment, and I'm willing to let the story stand on its own. It's got great character development, a rich setting, lots of toothy conflicts and solutions, and a terribly satisfying happy ending that's frankly just right for me.

Anyway, I'm glad to have the story in my head again. I will probably watch the PBS version while I do some editing later today. I love the characters, I relate so much to Jo and her feelings of awkwardness and longing. I relate to her relationship with Laurie--I never fit in, I was friends with lots of boys and sometimes, dang it, it got awkward. I married a guy that no one expected, and then I had a bunch of boys! So really, I am Jo. ;-)

Next time though, I will read the real book or the kindle book, and let the voices of all the characters sound in my own mind, the way they have since I was a little girl.

ps. (I have no idea why the movies are okay for me, but not this particular audiobook. Sorry about that inconsistency, but oh well.)